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Tag: rooftop solar

One Block Off the Grid's mission is to educate people on the ins and outs of going solar. Here's are 10 links that address key issues for homeowners who might be considering solar power.

…It is easy for the average homeowner to get confused by the all of the conflicting information and technical jargon that is flying around in today’s market. Some solar installers have even used this confusion to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers…

Solar Tubes – Explains just what the heck solar tubes are and how they work.

Solar Panel Trackers – There isn’t much good information out there about solar trackers. This entry helps summarize the data and gives homeowners the facts needed to ask their solar installer intelligent questions.

Solar Inverters – Here is a simple explanation of this piece that is found in every solar array – including what it does and why it is necessary.

Solar Panel Efficiency – There is lots of inaccurate information out there about how efficient solar panels are at converting sunlight to energy. Read this page to get the real low down.

Solar Powered Hot Tub – You might not believe it, but we get a lot of questions from homeowners about how many solar panels it would take to power their jacuzzi. Find out here.

Personal Solar Estimator – Finally, an easy and highly customizable tool that allows anyone to see how much money they would save by going solar. 1BOG’s solar estimator is the best on the web and makes exploring the advantages of solar quick and easy.

If you want more information about putting solar on your roof, check out the rest of 1BOG’s solar University for everything you need to know.

GreenBiz News describes Google’s plans to install 9000+ solar panels on rooftops and above parking areas. This is a great example of how to generate electricity while reducing the heat build-up in buildings and parked cars.

Google will house the largest corporate solar installation in the U.S., according to EI Solutions, the company installing the system.

EI Solutions, the systems integration arm of Energy Innovations, Inc., says it will begin constructing a solar electricity system for Google’s Mountain View, California, headquarters campus. With a total capacity of 1.6 megawatts — enough to supply 1,000 average California homes — the Google system will be the largest solar installation on any corporate campus in the U.S. and one of the largest on any corporate site in the world.

The project will involve 9,212 solar panels provided by Sharp Electronics. A majority will be placed on the rooftops of some of the buildings in the Googleplex and others will provide shaded parking as part of newly constructed solar panel support structures on existing Google parking lots. The solar energy will be used to power several of Google’s Mountain View office facilities.

"When the project is completed this spring, Google employees, shareholders and the community around us will begin to enjoy the environmental as well as economic benefits of clean, renewable energy generated on-site," says David Radcliffe, vice president of real estate at Google.

A three-dimensional representation of how the project may look once completed can be viewed online at www.eispv.com.